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San Francisco Hotel

My daughter and a friend will be in SFO next week and due to several large conventions all the decent hotels are either booked or have raised their prices to unrealistic levels.

She has booked a "Motor Inn" in the Cow Hollow area on Lombard street but is very nervous because it is only $160.00 per night. Any suggestions for other hotels that might not be affected by all the conventions or other areas.

If it is the Cow Hollow Motor Inn she won't have a problem. We have stayed at one of the sister properties the Lombard Motor Inn and it was fine. We didn't have a car, just used the bus. Take a look on Trip Advisor and you will probably be surprised at the reviews. It is close to Union St, which has great shopping and restaurants.

That's a nice area to stay in. Far away from the convention sites - so that's why the room might be less expensive.

Lots of restaurants & shops on Union ST, Chestnut st, and Polk St. Those are all popular places for the 20s & 30s crowds on weekends. Crissy field next to the Bay is quite nice for exploration. If they'll be here for more than 5 days, I would consider a car for a few of those days so they could explore outside of City Center - Golden Gate Bridge, Marin, Sausalito, Muir Woods, Wine country, Marin Coast, Golden Gate Park, Seacliff, Lands End (SF), Cliff House/Sutro Baths, Presidio, Ft Point (watch the surfers).

It is my favorite place to stay in San Francisco, ever since we first found it on our honeymoon 28 years ago.

The area (Cow Hollow/Pacific Heights/Marina) is about as high-end and trendy as you can get.

At the Cow Hollow (or any of its sister properties on Lombard), parking is FREE as is wifi. You can get to the Marina, north beach, China Town and downtown by jumping on Bus #30 on Chestnut -- it is a really great ride!

We generally try different restaurants in the area -- there's actually a really nice one right next door on Steiner -- Bistro Aix -- and Lucca Deli is a great little place to get ready made to go food if they want to take a walk down at the Marina towards the Golden Gate Bridge. We love stopping in at the end of a day at the California wine merchant -- tons of regulars in the area hang out there.

Union Street is where the locals go for breakfast or brunch on the weekend, and during our last trip there in May, I discovered that La Boulange on Union (by Laguna) offers up some outstanding canelés -- a small French pastry/dessert from the Bordeaux region that are to die for.

I will add that the ONLY time these days I stay downtown or Nob Hill is when I'm forced to for State Bar functions that mandate staying at the more expensive, stuffy hotels that nickel and dime you for everything because they pay and get a "special rate". In fact, I've been fighting with them lately about throwing away money -- I get that they also use them for meeting space, so have some silly agreement.

Last time was the Renaissance Stanford Court -- rooms were admittedly really nice, but the cost of parking (even though paid for) was RIDICULOUS -- $60+ tip -- and I don't think it's even at the hotel.